Eat your veggies hot and zesty off the grill

Published 12:02 am, Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Nothing says summer quite like grilled burgers and hot dogs, but you'll also want to save some grill space for seasonal vegetables and fresh fish. Grilling is an excellent and easy way to fire up the flavor of good-for-you foods without adding fat. To help get us warmed up, I've asked area chefs for their top tips to healthy summer grilling:

Prep the pit: For the best flavor, you have to start with a clean grill, says Garrett Stephens, assistant general manager and pit master at The County Line, 10101 W. I-10. Scrub grates with a wad of aluminum foil and then wipe with a wet towel to remove old “char,” Stephens says.

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The hotter the better: One of the biggest pitfalls in grilling is not waiting for the grill to get hot enough, says Jason Dady, executive chef and owner of Dady Restaurant Group, including Two Bros. BBQ Market, 12656 West Ave. “You really have to have patience, because food will stick when the grill's not hot,” says Dady. If using a gas grill, keep the lid closed to increase the temperature, he says.

Optimize flavor: Treat vegetables like a piece of meat by cutting into thick slices. “A thicker cut allows you to cook vegetables a little longer and get the most flavor without overcooking,” Dady says. Keep the seasoning to a minimum. Toss with a light layer of a medium value olive oil (a cheap oil will give “an off flavor”), plus sea salt and pepper, he says. For added interest, “try brushing foods with a bouquet of fresh herbs while grilling,” says Stephens.

Rest easy: Grill vegetables until “al dente” or to “medium or medium rare,” says Dady, then let them rest in a warm space to finish cooking.

Go outside the produce box: Zucchini, eggplant and sweet peppers all grill beautifully, but there's no reason to stop there. Stephens likes grilling seasonal leeks (cut them lengthwise into quarters) and says sweet Texas 1015 onions are another favorite (blend grilled onions to make a nice dip for grilled bread). Dady suggests grilling thick slices of beefsteak tomatoes — “until they get that nice smoky flavor but are still meaty enough to cut with a fork.”

Keep the classics: “I don't know if there's anything better than sweet corn off the grill,” Dady says. Soak fresh corn in water and roast on the grill — with husks still intact. “This will steam the corn while adding flavor, plus keep it warm,” he says. To season, Dady recommends adding a little paprika, lime zest and sea salt to butter.

Make extra: In sandwiches or salads, grilled vegetables make delicious leftovers, says Behrend. For a spicy twist, “eat them cold with Sriracha (chile) sauce,” he says.

Catch and grill: Fish high in omega-3s, such as salmon, are best for grilling. Other ideal bites include trout, arctic char and halibut. Season with salt and pepper, and then top with the juice of grilled lemons or oranges, says Dady. Watch out for excess moisture on fish, which will cause fish to stick, notes Stephens. Pat your fish dry with paper towels, and to cut calories, oil your grill with a thin layer of light olive oil instead of adding oil to the fish, he says.

Sweet taste of summer: Stephens likes to include fruit in his summer barbeque menu. “Combine grilled pineapple with avocado, cilantro and lime juice” for a great salsa over salmon, he says. And for dessert, try grilled apples (Gala or Macintosh), peaches, or papaya.

Claudia Zapata is a registered dietitian. Her column appears in Taste every other Sunday. Email her at czhealth@gmail.com and follow her at Twitter at @ClaudiaZapata.